Z-View: The Crow – Pestilence #2

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The Crow: Pestilence #2 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Salvador heads to the Midwest to search for the men who murdered his family, only to find them involved in trafficking drugs…and humans. As The Crow watches, guiding him, he begins to exact his revenge. But why is one of the gang members speaking with the police?

 

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The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • Frank Bill throws in a surprise that I didn’t see coming, although the preview quote above strongly foreshadows it.
  • Salvador blames himself for the death of his wife and child.  This story is shaping up to more than a simple tale of revenge.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • The way Salvador, his wife and child were killed and the vow that Salvador’s revenge would be 100 times worse — that’s bad for the killers.
  • What happens if you’re scared and you go to the boss’ house for protection.  Note to self: “Don’t lead a returned-from-the-dead-supernatural-avenger to the boss’ home.”

The Ugly:

  • Pouring a boiling vat of soup on Salvador.
  • When the chainsaws come out.

The Crow: Pestilence #2  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Trailer for Constantine: Exorcist, Deomonologist & Master of the Dark Arts

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NBC has released the first teaser trailer for Constantine, a new weekly series based on the DC/Vertigo comic of the same name.

Check out the trailer below and we’ll catch up right after.

I’ve never read the comic so I only have a little knowledge about the Constantine character [other than what I learned from the teaser].

I liked the trailer enough to check out the tv series… but it didn’t inspire me to want to search out the comics.

Perhaps the series will change that.

 

Z-View: Southern Bastards #1

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Southern Bastards #1 is published by Image.

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Jason Latour

Colorist: Jason Latour [with an assist from Rico Renzi]

Cover Shown: Jason Latour

Welcome to Craw County, Alabama, home of Boss BBQ, the state champion Runnin’ Rebs football team…and more bastards than you’ve ever seen. When you’re an angry old man like Earl Tubb, the only way to survive a place like this…is to carry a really big stick. From the acclaimed team of JASON AARON and JASON LATOUR, the same bastards who brought you Scalped and Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted, comes a southern fried crime series that’s like the Dukes of Hazzard meets the Coen Brothers…on meth.

 

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The Good

  • Everything.  I mean it.  Everything.
  • Jason Aaron has crafted a first issue that sucks the reader in.  We learn just enough about the major players to want to know more.  Aaron’s story has suspense, action, humor, sudden violence, and an underlying mystery that demands to be told.
  • Jason Latour’s art is not only perfectly suited to this story, it is amazing in that it is unlike anything else you’re reading.
  • The colors deserve special mention.  I am a fan of black and white art and stories and generally prefer them to color.  If all comics were colored this expertly, my opinion would change.  Kudos to Latour and Renzi!
  • The ribs at Boss’ BBQ.
  • “I just came for the ribs.”
  • “Any man in this kitchen wants a RAISE… Now’s his ******** chance.” “**** that, man.  I jus smoke the meat.”
  • “Jesus ******* Christ almighty.  You shouldn’t have done that, Earl.” “I shouldn’t have saved your life?” “NO! You ******* shouldn’t have!”

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • Getting hit with a hot fry basket.
  • What happens when Sheriff “Big” Bert Tubb brings out his baseball bat.
  • What is going on Craw County?  My guess is it ain’t good.
  • That this issue couldn’t have gone on forever.

The Ugly:

  • What happens when you steal from or cross Coach Boss.

Southern Bastards #1  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.

The advance word on Southern Bastards has been on that’s it’s one of the best comics in years.

Believe the hype.  It is. 

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Joel Carroll and Jack Carter

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I’ve known Joel Carroll for several years.  Whenever I would talk to Joel about a Stallone sketch Joel would beg off because he felt he wasn’t good at capturing likenesses.

Recently Joel was sketching for charity and I hit him up again.  It was for charity so how could Joel refuse?  He didn’t and you can see the end result above.  I really like it!

You can see more of Joel’s art on twitter.